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Graphene Technologies (GT, San Rafael, Calif., USA) announced on Nov. 1 that it has developed a process to manufacture high-quality graphene at industrial scale and pricing. On Oct. 20, the first of a series of patent applications filed by the company on its novel technology for the production of graphene and other nanomaterials was published.

The company has discovered and developed a novel process in which carbon dioxide is used as the primary feedstock for graphene production. The process exploits the highly exothermic reaction between certain alkaline earth metals, including magnesium, and carbon bearing gases, including carbon dioxide, to generate graphene. Graphene is a promising nanomaterial with potential applications in semiconductors, electronics, displays, energy storage and transmission, photovoltaics, advanced plastics and structural materials, including composites.

"We are very pleased to have completed several patent applications and to see the first of these published. This is an important step for us," said Jon Myers, GT co-founder and CEO. "We are singularly focused on further developing our advanced, scalable process to produce industrial quantities of single to few layer graphene materials."

"The ability to make advanced materials through a combination of widely available minerals with a greenhouse gas is a significant achievement," continued Myers. "Our scientists have produced the highest quality single- and multiple-layer graphene available, while demonstrating the potential for achieving the lowest production cost possible for this material."

The GT process does not require, as other graphene processes do, relatively rare, highly crystalline graphite feedstock that is currently produced in only a few places globally. Presently, graphene can only be purchased in small quantities at prices in the range of $5,000 per pound. GT plans production of high quality graphene at industrial volume and cost.

"The graphene industry is emerging and will benefit greatly from what we plan to provide," stated Myers. "At present, there are no accepted product specifications or manufacturing standards for graphene. We will help to define these and will work with partners on materials integration into a wide range of products in order to catalyze the broad commercial use of this important new material."